Band return machine



1961 s. w. SINCLAIR EIAL 3,010,386

BAND RETURN MACHINE HP xii? &. MMW Z N M i 2 m 4 W 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1960 Nov. 28, 1961 Filed Dec. 6, 1960 s. w. SINCLAIR EI'AL BAND RETURN MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4/ I g l I@ V r 4 M. I m 1 O 0 00 00 Om 1 I 1 1 II 1 1/ I 1 1 59 ll g 6 ll it Q\ I! h Mn. V /0 3) y '1 l4 Nov. 28, 1961 s. w. SINCLAIR EIAL 3,010,386

BAND RETURN MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 6, 1960 BY SM NQV. 28, 1961 s, w. smg Er L 3,010,386

BAND RETURN MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 6, 1960 fa w/n W l/arnberyer .IIVVENTORJ United States Patent 3,61%,326 BAND RETURN htACHINE Stuart W. Sinclair and Edwin W. Hornberger, Houston, Tern, assign-tars to Anderson, Clayton 8: (19., Houston, Tea, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 6, 1969, Set. No. 74,l33ti 22 (Ilairns. (Cl. 169-45) The present invention relates to an improved reefer which automatically returns bands used to encircle and securely hold a bale or package together. More particularly, the present invention relates to such an improved reefer particularly suited for use in combination with cotton compresses for applying bands to compressed bales of cotton and the like to reduce the time consuming hand operations previously necessary for this purpose.

The improved reefer of the present invention is particularly suited and adapted for use in encircling and tying compressed bales of cotton with steel bands while compressed and the following description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention given for the purpose of disclosure is directed to that particular use. It will be understood, however, that the improved reefer of the present invention is suitable for use in tying compressed bales or packages of material other than cotton with bands or other tying elements.

In the processing of cotton, for ease of transportation and storage, cotton ordinarily is compressed and tied in bales by steel bands, ordinarily referred to as ties in the industry, which encircle the bale. Over the course of time, three generally standard sizes of bales have evolved. All of these bales contain the same amount of cotton, the only difierence being in the density of the cotton of the halo which is due to the final size of the bale.

After cotton has been picked it is run through a gin and baled into a more or less rectangular shape having dimensions of approximately fifty-five inches in length, forty-five inches in height and twenty-eight inches in width. This bale is called a gin bale and is usually held together by six steel bands known as ties which encircle the bale and which are usually held together at their ends by suitable buckles.

The gin bales are shipped to the compress, which has heavier and more expensive equipment, so that the size of the bale may be reduced for storage and transportation. Ordinarily, the bale is reduced to either standard density or high density. The standard density bale is the size normally used for domestic shipments and for storage at compress warehouses and, in general, is substantially the same size as the gin bale but has its height reduced to about twenty-two inches.

When overseas or foreign shipment of cotton is desired, the gin bale is compressed or the standard density bale is further compressed to a size of about fifty-two by twenty by twenty inches. This is the high density bale, or as it is commonly known, the export bale.

In usual practice, the gin bale ordinarily is bound together by six encircling steel bands, the standard bale is bound together by eight encircling steel bands, and the high density bale is bound together by nine encircling steel bands although this may vary.

In efiecting the compressing operation, the bale is placed between a pair of vertically-spaced, horizontally-disposed platens, the lower of which is ordinarily raised by steam or hydraulic pressure for compressing the bale to reduce its size. Ordinarily, each platen is provided with a series of transverse channels of a width and depth sufficient to accommodate the bands or ties to be secured around the bales.

In usual practice, the bands are placed around the cotton bales while held in a compressed position by the platens by a team of workmen. rdinarily there are workmen stationed on each side of the platens, one team of workmen sliding the bands in the transverse channels in the lower platen, the other team of workmen placing the extending end of the hand up and around the bale and back through the channels in the upper platen, the first team of workmen tightening the bands and securing them together by buckles so that the platens may be released and the bands hold the bale in a compressed condition.

There have been automatic reefers proposed in the past to eliminate one or more of the workmen reefing the bale. These reefers, however, have not been entirely satisfactory in view of the fact that they have been complicated, get in the way of the normal operations involved in compressing bales of cotton, and are not satisfactorily operated by unskilled workmen.

It would be therefore be highly advantageous to provide a reefer which would pull a suflicient length of steel band through the channel in a platen, bend it 180 and automatically feed it back in the corresponding channel in the opposite platen from w 'ch it was started, and automatically disengage itself from the steel band or tie after the band has been fed back to the starting side so that I the workmen might tighten and fasten the band. Further,

since cotton bales often have as many as nine bands placed about them, it would be advantageous to provide a reefer capable of performing the above operation with each of the bands independently, in any order and of handling one or more or all of the bands at the same time. It would also be advantageous to provide such a reefer which is of simple and rugged construction, of relatively small size such that it does not get in the way of other normal operations in compressing bales, and operable by unskilled workmen. The present invention is directed to such an improved reefer.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved reefer satisfying the above requirements and having the above-mentioned advantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved reefer which will automatically draw a band around one side of a bale and thereafter release the band for subsequent processing.

It is a further object of thepresent invention to provide a reefer which will independently draw as many bands as are desired about a bale maintained in compressed condition and then return the bands to the opposite side in any order.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a reefer which will pull a suthcient length of band under the bale compressed between a pair of platens and push it back over the bale after having turned the band 180 degrees, so that the length of the band exposed on the return is suflicient for the workmen to easily tighten and fasten the bands.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a reefer for use in baling cotton which will auto matically pull a suflicient length of band from one side of the bale compressed between a pair of platens, turn it 180 degrees, return it to the other side of the bale and then disengage itself from the band for subsequent processing by the workmen.

ing only that the band to be wrapped around the bale be fed into the reefer.

Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, given for the purpose of disclosure, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where like character references designate like parts throughout the several views, and where:

FIGURE 1 is a partial side view of a press with the reefer installed thereon and shown in retracted position;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side view, similar to FIGURE 1, with the reefer in working position and showing the movement of a steel band through the reefer and about a cotton bale which is compressed;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view of the gearing mechanism of the present invention taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view showing a side view of one of the pairs of gears taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3, and showing in detail the ejecting and pulling mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is a partial front view of the reefer showing a band being fed therethrough taken along thetline 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a partial end view, partially in section, showing the timing gears taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a partial bottom View of the pulling and ejecting mechanism showing the band being inserted therein, taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 showing the band at intermediate position in the reefer and approximately halfway along its predetermined course; and

FIGURE 9 is a View similar to FIGURE 7 showing the band after ejection from the reefer.

In general, the operation of the reefer involves push ing the band between two inwardly rotating spindles which engage the band and pull it around behind the bale to be banded and shove it forward for subsequent processing. The reefer also includes a timing mechanism to release the bands pulled therethrough after a sufificient length has been pushed around the bale.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the reefer which preferably is mounted adjacent the upper platen 12 of a press 13 which is used to compress, for example, a bale of cotton 14. The reefer 10 is attached to the press 13 by the pivotal mounting 16 and may be swung upwardly as in FIGURE 1, or downwardly into a working position, as in FIGURE 2. Also pivotally mounted to the press is a bellcrank 18 and a' hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 20 which operates to pivot the reefer 10 upwardly or downwardly. When the cylinder 20 is conventionally energized, and pushes outwardly on the rod 22, the bellcrank 18 pivots about the pivotal mounting 24 pushing the lever 26 downwardly and thereby pushing the reefer 10 downwardly. To retract the reefer 10, the cylinder 20 is energized in the opposite direction so as to pull inwardly on the rod 22, thereby rotating the bellcrank 18 about the pivotal mounting 24, pulling upwardly on the lever 26 and thereby raising the reefer 10.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, when the reefer 10 is in the operating position, it is seen that the cotton bale 14 is compressed between the upper platen 12 and lower platen 28. The steel band 30 is pushed inwardly, in the direction of the arrows, in the transverse channel 31 within the lower platen 28 and beneath the bale 14, until it strikes the reefer 10. Thereupon the steel band 30 slides upwardly within the reefer 10 until it strikes and passes between a pair of spindles 32. The spindles 32 are rotated in a manner as hereinafter described by the electric or pneumatic motor 34. As the spindles 3*2- rotate, they pull the steel band 30 upwardly and force it against the changes the direction of the steel band 30 so as to force.

it into a corresponding transverse channel 33 in the upper platen 12 and back to the starting side of the bale 14.

As best seen in FIGURE 5, each pair or" spindles 32 is mounted side by side with the distances between their outside perimeters being just slightly smaller than the width of the steel band 30. The spindles 32 rotate inwardly in opposite directions so that when the steel band 36 is inserted therebetween, the steel band 30 is grasped and pushed upwardly within the curved trough 36 to the upper platen 12 for return to the opposite side of the press.

The spacing between the spindles 32 is dependent entirely upon the width of the steel band 36. The spacing must be such that the bands are firmly grasped, but yet not substantially deformed. If desired, one of the pair of spindles 32 may be yieldingly mounted so as to automatically adjust for various widths of bands 30. The spindles 32 are generally shown as knurled, and in this manner their grasping action is heightened. Obviously, they may be plain, splined, or the like, or they may be slightly deformable so as to positively grasp and move the band 36.

Mounted coaxially but independent from the rotation of the spindles 32 are generally helical ejectors 38. The function of the ejectors, which are also operated in opposite rotational directions, is to eject the steel band 30 from between the spindles 32 after a predetermined time interval has elapsed, thereby insuring that a predeter mined length of the steel band 36 has been pushed forward into the transverse channel 33 in the upper platen 12 The configuration and rate of rotation of the helical ejectors 38 are such that a predetermined length of band 3% is moved by the spindles 32 before being ejected. This advantageously permits continuous operation of the reefer yet at the same time provides a release of the bands.

Referring now to FIGURES 7, 8, and 9, the structure and operation of the spindles 32 and ejectors 33 are more clearly seen. Mounted at the rearward ends of the spindles 32 are meshing gears 40. As these gears 40 are of thesame size, it is readily seen that the spindles 32 rotate at the same speed yet in opposite directions. 'Likewise, mounted coaxially with, yet independent of, the spindles 32 are the gears 42 which are attached to the ejectors 38. These gears 42 force the ejectors 38 to rotate at the same speed yet in opposite directions.

As previously mentioned, the spindles 32 are arranged to rotate toward each other and therefore pull and push the steel bands 30 upwardly toward the upper platen 12. The ejectors 38 are generally helical in shape so that as they rotate, the steel band 30 is moved outwardly and finally ejected as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9. Therefore, when the steel band 30, as shown in FIGURE 7, is pushed between the spindles 32, the rotating gears 42 turn the ejectors 38 which push the steel band 30 outwardly and into contact with the spindles 32. Thereupon the inwardly rotating spindles 32 grasp and push the steel band 30 upwardly and will continue to push the steel band 30 upwardly until the ejectors finally have rotated enough to eject the steel band from between the spindles 32.

In order to assure that the bands 30 will be moved by the knurled spindles 32 a predetermined distance, it is necessary that the contact of the bands 30 with the knurled spindles 32 be for a constant time. This is accomplished by providing the recessed portion 35 adjacent the inner ends of the knurled spindles 32 so that, as best seen in FIGURE 7, when the band 30 is pushed between the spindles 32 it is in the recessed area 35 and is not gripped by the spindles 32. The helical ejectors 38 then engage the band 30 andmove it outwardly into engagement with the knurled surfaces 32, for example as shown in FIGURE 8, and maintain it in contact with the knurled spindle surfaces 32 until ejected as shown in FIGURE 9. Thus the arrangement is such that the bands 30 engage the knurled spindles 32 for only a predetermined length of time and, hence, are moved a predetermined distance so that the steel band or tie 30 is returned to the. starting side of the platen as desired whereupon movement of the band stops.

The ejectors 38 have been described as helical and this is generally true. However, as is evident from FIG- URE 7, that part of the ejectors 38 which first contacts the band 36 while adjacent the recesses 35 of the spindles 32 is not of the same pitch as the remainder of the ejector 38. This change of pitch is utilized to allow a larger clear area between the spindles 32 at the recesses 35 when introducing the band 30, as well as to more quickly engage the band 30 with the'spindles 32. t is obvious that uniformly helical ejectors 38 can be used, a well as spirals or other shapes, the important function being to time the period that the band 30 is operably connected to the spindles 32. Hence, wherever the term helical ejectors is used, it is understood that the term is used in its broadest sence and is not limited to a helix of uniform pitch.

The use of coaxial elements such as the spindles 32 and ejectors 38, permits a reduction in the size of the units. It would be possible to build the eiectors 38 and spindles 32 on one shaft, however, the shaft would be quite long and therefore quite cumbersome because the spindles 32 must rotate rapidly to push a desired length of steel band 30 back into the upper platen 12. Thus, in the present embodiment, the spindle 32 and the ejectors 38 are independent and can therefore be rotated at different speeds. These differing speeds allow more flexibility'in that various timing gems may be utilized for the interrelation between the spindles 32 and ejectors 38 according to the following relationship. The spindles 32, in the present disclosure, regulate only the speed at which the steel band 36 is pushed through the reefer 18. Meanwhile the rotation of the gears 42 and electors 38 determine only the length of time that the steel band 30 remains under the influence of the spindles 32. Thus, it is seen that the speed at which a predetermined length of steel band 30 is pushed through the reefer It} is completely controllable. Further, by proper timing and interconnection between the gears 40 and 42 the same length of steel band 30 will be pushed through the reefer no matter what the speed of the motor 34 may be. 7

The driving or motivating force for the spindles 32 and ejectors 38 is best illustrated in FIGURE 3. The motor 34 '(see FIGURE 2) drives the pulley 44 which in turn drives the belt 46 and pulley 48. Attached to the pulley 48 is a bevel gear 50 which engages the matching bevel gear 52. The bevel gear 52 drives the main shaft 54 which in turn drives the worm gears 56 and the timing gears 58. The worm gear 56 directly engages the gear 40 which drives the spindle 32, thereby pulling the steel band 30 through the reefer 10. 7

As previously mentioned, as many as nine steel bands 30 are typically wrapped about a cotton bale, with some larger and lower density bales requiring only eight. Therefore, it is sometimes required that the spindles 32 be mounted somewhat closer together than the gears 40 would normally allow. Provision for this contingency is accomplished by mounting the spindles 32 in different planes, such as with the spindles 32a. The spindles 32a are driven by the gears 40a which may in turn be driven by the gears 40. It is further evident that all of the gears 40 and 40a may be driven by one worm gear 56 or by several spaced along the shaft 54.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, an end view of the timing gears 58 is shown. The driven main shaft 54 drives the various spur gears within the gear box 59 in a predetermined manner so as to drive the shaft 69. The gears within the timing gear box 59 may be assembled in varying ratios so that the speed of the shaft 60 is adjustable. The shaft 60 in turn drives worms and gears within the body of the reefer 10 in a manner similar to that previously described with reference to the spindles 32 so as to drive the gears 42. Therefore, referring again to FIGURE 4, it is seen that the shaft 6( drives the worm 62 which in turn drives the gear 42. And, as previously mentioned, the ejectors 38 are attached to the gears 42 in a conventional manner. Thus, when the motor 34 is energized, both the spindles 32 and ejectors 38 rotate in a predetermined manner so as to control the speed and timing of the movement of the steel bands 39.

Again referring to FIGURE 4, the curved trough 36 is shown as a concave element which directs the steel band 3% from the spindles 32 upwardly and inwardly to the transverse channel 33 in the upper press platen 12. Beneath each pair of spindles 32 is an additional guide 64 which directs the steel band 3% from the transverse channel 31 in the lower platen 28 to the spindles 32. The lower guide 64 is best seen in FIGURE 5.

In use, and with particular reference to FIGURE 1, when steel bands 30 are desired to be wrapped around a bale 14, the retracted reefer 10 is first pivoted into position. This is accomplished by energizing the cylinder 20 Which pushes the rod 22 outwardly, which rotates the bellcrank 18 about the pivotal mounting 24 pushing the lever 26 downwardly and in turn pushing the reefer 10 downwardly until it is in the position shown in FIG- URE 2. Thereupon, with reference to FIGURE 2, the motor 34 is energized, driving the spindles 32 and 32a with the associated ejector-s 33. The steel bands 30 are then pushed in the transverse channel 31 in the lower platen 23 by a workman until they contact the reefer 10. Thereupon, referring now to FIGURE 5, the steel band 39 is pushed against the reefer 1G and within the lower guides 64 until the band 36 is between the spindles 32. With reference now to FIGURE 7, the rotating spindles 32 and ejectors 38 begin their function. First the ejectors 38 push the steel band 39 outwardly so that it contacts the rotating spindles 32. Thereupon the steel band 30 is pushed upwardly into the concave trough 36 (which is best seen in FIGURES 4 and 5) by the rotating spindles 32. As the spindles 32 continue to rotate and continue to pull additional lengths of the steel band 30 therebetween, the ejectors 38 likewise continue to rotate, moving the steel band 30 along the length of the spindles 32. Thus an intermediate position is shown in FIGURE 8, as well as in FIGURE 2 Where the travel of the steel band 30 is nearing completion. Subsequently, as the spindle 32 and ejectors 38 continue their respective rotations, the predetermined length of the steel band 30 has passed through the reefer 10 and is now protruding out of the transverse channel 33 on the originating side of the bale 14 at the upper platen 12 and the steel bands within the spaces between the spindles 32 are ejected by the helical movement of the ejectors 38 as shown by FIGURE 9. In this manner, the functioning of the reefer is complete as the steel bands 30 have now been wrapped around the back side of the bale 14 and are ready for further processing, such as tightening and fastening. The reefer 10 may now be pivoted upwardly so as not to interfere in the working area behind the press by energizing the cylinder 20 to retract the rod 22, thereby rotating the bellcrank 18 about the pivotal mounting 24 and pulling upwardly on the lever 26 which in turn pivots the reefer 10 upwardly about the pivotal mounting 16, so that it again assumes the position shown in FIGURE 1. Meanwhile, the motor 34 may be de-energized as the rotation of the spindles 32 and ejectors 38 is no longer needed.

So long as the reefer 10 is in an operating position and the motor 34 is energized, it is obvious that the reefer It) will perform its desired function and that it does not matter in what order the various steel bands 30 are fed into the spindles 32, for each steel band 30 is regulated independently and yet entirely by the particular spindle to which it is fed. Thus it is seen that the prescut reefer is well suited for the automatic return of bands, particularly for use in banding baled cotton.

While the description of the present invention has been to reefing or binding cotton bales, it is understood that the reefer may be used for binding any desired bale, package and the like with bands or encircling elements.

The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination, shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a reefer, a pair of spaced spindles arranged to receive and engage a band in the space therebetween, said spindles rotatable in opposite directions for mov-' ing the band, and a pair of ejectors, one each of the ejectors disposed coaxially about one each of the pair of spindles, said ejectors rotatable in opposite'directions and spaced to engage the band, rotation of said ejectors ejecting the band from the pair of spindles.

2.. The invention of claim 1 wherein said ejectors are generally helical. I

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein one each of said ejectors is disposed coaxially about and independently rotatable with one each of the pair of spindles.

4. In a reefer, a pair of spaced spindles arranged to receive and engage a band in the space therebetween, said spindles rotatable in opposite directions for moving the band, means for rotating said spindles at the same speed in opposite directions, a pair of ejectors, one each of the ejectors disposed coaxially about one each of the pair of spindles, said ejectors rotatable in opposite directions and spaced to engage the band, rotation of said ejectors ejecting the band from the pair of spindles, and means for rotating said ejectors at the same speed in opposite directions.

5. The invention of claim 4 including timing means operatively interconnecting said spindle rotating'means with said ejector rotating means.

6. In a reefer, a pair of spaced spindles arranged to receive and engage a band in the space therebetween, said spindles rotatable in opposite directions for moving 1e band, said spindles having circumferential recesses adjacent the interior ends of said spindles whereby said band is not engaged by said spindles when adjacent said recesses, and a pair of ejectors, one each of the ejectors disposed coaxially on each of the pair of spindles, said ejectors rotatable in opposite directions and spaced to engage the band, rotation of said ejectors moving said band eXteriorly along said spindles from a nonengaged position adjacent said recesses to engagement with said spindles and thereafter ejecting the band from the pair of spindles. V

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said ejectors are generally helical.

8. The invention of claim 6 wherein each of said ejectors are disposed coaxially about and independently rotatable with one each of the pair of spindles.

9. In a reefer, a pair of spaced spindles arranged to receive and engage a band in the space therebetween, said spindles rotatable in opposite directions for moving the band, said spindles having circumferential recesses adjacent the interior ends of said'spindles whereby said band is not engaged by said spindles when adjacent said recesses, means for rotating said spindles at the same speed in opposite directions, a pair of ejectors disposed coaxially about and independently rotatable with one each of the pair of spindles, said ejectors rotatable in opposite directions and spaced to engage the band, rotation of said ejectors moving said band exteriorly along said spindles frorn= a nonengaged position adjacent said recesses to engagement with said spindles and thereafter ejecting the band from the, pair of spindles, and means for rotating said ejectors at the same speed in opposite directions. 10. The invention of claim 9 including timing means operatively interconnecting said spindle rotating means with said ejector rotating means.

11. The invention of claim 10 including friction means on the spindles arranged to frictionally engage the band.

12. In a band return machine, a concave body, a pair of spindles rotatively mounted on said body and extending from the concave side, said spindles spaced apart on said body slightly less than thewidth of the band to be returned, said spindles having recessed portions at their exterior ends adjacent said body providing a space wider than the width of the band, means for rotating said spindles at the same speed in inwardly directions, a pair of generally helical ejectors, one each of said ejectors rotatably and coaxially mounted on one each of said spindles, and means for rotating said ejectors at the same speed in inwardly directions, whereby said band is moved from the recessed space between said spindles into contact with said spindles by said ejectors, and thereafter moved along said concave body by said spindles and finally ejected from. said spindles by said ejectors.

13. The invention of claim 12 including timing means operatively interconnecting said spindle rotating means with said ejector rotating means.

14. The invention of claim 13 including a motor mounted on said body operatively linked with said spindle rotating means, timing means and ejector rotating means.

15. The invention of claim 14 including pivotal mounting means attached to said body for pivoting said machine into and out of operating position.

16. Areefer for bale compressing machines of the type having a platen assembly including two platens, at least one of which is relatively movable with respect to the other, the operating faces of said platens being provided with parallel spaced channels vto accommodate bands for encircling a bale compressed therebetween, said reefer comprising a body mounted at one side'of the platen assembly, a plurality of concave guides on the body in alignment with the channels arranged to receive the bands emerging through the channels in one platen and to project the hands into corresponding channels in the other platen, a plurality of pairs .of spindles rotatively mounted on the body, one pair of which is disposed adjacent one each of the guides and spaced apart suflicient to permit passage of and to grip the band between said spindles, a plurality of generally helical ejectors rota-tively mounted on the body, one each of said ejectors coaxially disposed about one each of said spindles, means operatively connected to the spindles arranged to rotate the spindles of each pair inwardly toward one another, means operatively connected to'the ejectors arranged to rotate the ejectors of each pair inwardly toward one another, whereby bands pushed through the channels of one platen into the guides are propelled by the pairs of spindles back through corresponding channels of the other platen until the bands are ejected from the pairs of spindles by the pairs of ejectors. V

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein each pair of spindles has circumferentially recessed portions at their inner ends providing a space of a width Wider than the bands whereby said spindles do not propel the bands until moved out of the recessed portions by the ejectors.

18. The invention of claim 17, including timing means operatively interconnecting said spindle rotating means with said ejector rotating means.

19, The invention of claim 18 wherein the body is pivotally mounted adjacent one of the platens and including means for pivoting the body upwardly and downwardly with respect to the platen assembly.

20. The invention of claim 19 wherein at least one of the pairs'of spindles is vertically staggered upon said body with respect to another pair of spindles, whereby additional pairs of spindles may be placed on said body.

21. The invention of claim 20 including driving means mounted adjacent said platen assembly, and means operatively interconnecting said driving means with said spindle rotating means, timing means, and ejector rotating means.

22. A reefer for bale compressing machines of the type having a platen assembly including two platens, at least one of which is relatively movable with respect to the other, the operating faces of said platens being provided with parallel spaced channels to accommodate bands for encircling a bale compressed therebetween, said reefer comprising a body pivotally mounted at one side of the platen assembly, a plurality of concave guides on the body in alignment with the channels arranged to receive the band emerging through the channels in one platen and to eject the bands into corresponding channels in the other platen, a plurality of pairs of spindles rotatably mounted in the body, one pair of which is disposed adjacent one each of the guides and spaced apart sufiicient to permit 10 passage of and to grip the band therebetween, a plurality of generally helical ejectors rotatably mounted on the body, one of each of which is coaxially disposed about one each of said spindles, gears operatively connected to the spindles arranged to rotate the spindle of each pair inwardly toward one another, gears operatively connected to the ejectors arranged to rotate the ejectors of each pair inwardly toward one another, a motor attached to said body, a shaft rotatably mounted on said body and operatively connected to said motor, gears on said shaft operatively connected to said spindle rotating gears, timing gears operatively connected to said shaft, a second shaft operatively connected to said timing gears, gearing means operatively connecting said second shaft to said ejector rotating gears, and means adjacent said platen assembly for pivoting said body upwardly and downwardly with respect to the platen assembly.

No references cited. 

